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WORLD  Sri Gaudiya Math, Chennai BY PARAMESWAR BRAHMACHARI INDIA, Mar 10 (VNN) — All Glory to Sri Guru and Gauranga The Gaudiya Math, Chennai was founded in 1932 by Prabhupada Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur (6.02.1874 to 01.01.1937). After accepting Sanyasa, Prabhupada established 64 such maths, during his last 18 years of manifested pastimes, to preach the teachings of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his thoughts on Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya. The first Gauidya Math was established at Sri Bhaktivinod Asana, at Calcutta. Sri Radha -Govinda is the center of all activities of the Gaudiya Math. It says make all offering to Sri Krishna first and then profess to be a devotee. The Maths remain in the firm service of Sri Chaitanyadeva's Name, Form, Qualities, Pastimes, Companions and Abode. Sri Gaudiya Math is a truly scientific, catholic, practical seminary for ensuring the highest spiritual benefit for all persons without distinction of caste, creed colour, sex or age. The founder Acharya, Prashupada Srila Saraswathi Thakur established the Chennai (then Madras) Gaudiya Math in 1931 in a rented house at Gopalapuram, not far from its present location. The founder Acharya laid the foundation stone of the present temple on the 23rd January 1932 on a plot of land at Royapettah gifted by two illustrious devotees, Mr. T.S. Ramachandran, I.C.S and his father. The entire cost of construction of the temple was borne by the Maharaja of Jeypore. The foundation stone for the Krishna Kirtana Hall in front of the temple was laid by the then Governor of Madras Sri George Frederic Stanley and a contractor, Mr. Ponnirulu Pillai, at his own cost built the hall. The followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu established Gaudiya Math at Madras, as South India is a place of pilgrimage for all Vaishnavas. The founders of the four recognized sampradayas of Vaishnavas, namely Sri Madhva, Sri Ramanuja, Sri Nimbarka and Sri Vishnuswami were born and flourished in South India. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepted the Madhva Sampradaya by obtaining initiation from Iswar Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had made extensive tour of South India. The founder Acharya of the Gaudiya Math also toured the length and breadth of South India and collected literature from various Maths and studied them. The inmates of Sri Gaudiya Math have no other duty excepting the service of Sri Radha-Govinda. The service consists of two distinct functions viz. 1. Kirtana and 2. Archana. The Kirtana is the manifestation of spiritual service by the devotees by means of spoken language. The Archana is the ordinary form of worship but it is maintainable in its purity except by menas of Kirtana. Sri Gaudiya Math provides for the constant Kirtana of the Name, Form, Quality, Activity and specific service of the devotees of Godhead. The Kirtana thus constituted the fundamental activity of Sri Gaudiya Math. As an organ of the Parent Math Sri Chaitanya Math, Prabhupada Srila Saraswathi Thakura founded the journal Gaudiya in the year 1922 published in Bengali. An English edition of the Gaudiya was started on 29th August 1956, the Sri Krishna Jayanti day, at Sri Gaudiya Math, Madras. It is being published regularly as a monthly and distributed to all the devotees of the Math. Sri Gaudiya Math, Chennai has also published several books on Vaishnava philosophy in English. During the Sri Krishna Jayanti Celebrations in the month of August the Math organises a Theistic exhibition, discourses, bhajans and Kirtanas for 15 days on the various aspects of Sri Krishna Leela and life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Gaudiya Math, Royapettah is a landmark in Chennai. The Road in front of the Math is named as Sri Gaudiya Math Road and the post office located near by the Math is called Sri Gaudiya Math Post Office. Thus the publications, the discourses, Bhajans, kirtanas and the religious celebrations of the Math have made the Chennai Gaudiya Math a great center of Krishna Bhakti and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's teachings. By Parameswar Brahmachari Manager The Gaudiya Chennai - 14 Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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